Compressor unit



April 28,1925. v 1,535,936

y W; D. MERGE-R COMPRESSOR UNIT Filed Oct. 3 2 sheets sheen' 1 WILLIAM urn-212cm INVENTOR A-T "tofzNE'ys April 28, 1925-.

w. D. MERCER COMPRESSOR UNIT- Filed Oct. 2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WILLIAM. DQMBR K INVESITOR rromu EYS Patented Apr. 28, 1225..

' UNITED m PATENT oust-cs.

WILLIAM 1D. MERGER, F BETH/011", MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTt', T0 'KELVINATOR CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, IVIICHIGAN, A. CORPOPuBHiION 019 MICHIGAN.

GOMZPRESSOB UNIT.

Application filed October 2, 1923. Serial No. 666,066.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VILLIAM D. Mnnonn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at- Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Compressor Units, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The adaptation of mechanical refrigerating systems to small units suitable for installation in stores and houses has necessitated introducing into the systems hereto- .i'ore used a large number of improvements particularly designed to decrease the attention required by the refrigerating system and to facilitate maintenance and operation thereof. My invention provides a compressor unit embodying further such improvements and therefore superior to any previous compressor unit at least for use in these small installations. In the drawings accompanying; this specification and forming a part thereof I have shown, for purposes of illustration, one physical embodiment which my invention may assume. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of this illustrative embodiment of my invention showing the condenser coil in section, 4

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the fly wheel fan shown in side elevation in Figure 1,

taken on the line of Figure 2,

Figure 4: is a view similar to Figure showing an alternative form of fan l in'ureh is a section on the line o-5 of Figure 1, while Figure (3 is a longitudinal section through I the over running clutch shown generally in side elevation in Figure 1.

The compressor unit here-in shown comprises a compressor-11 operated through reduction gears positioned within a near housinn 12 formed integral with the housing of the compressor 11 and driven by a shaft 13 which is itself operated. through a universal joint 14, an over running clutch 15, an intermediate shaft 16, and a universal joint 17, from tl: armature shaft 18 ofan electric motor 19 sup 'iort wl by a pedestal 20 from the compressor unit base plate 21 which also carries the compressor 11.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of this fan The construction of the universal joint 1 1 and over running, clutch 15 is more clearly shown in Figure 6 wherein this portion of the compressorunit is shown as comprising a collar 22 secured by means of a set screw 23 to the compressor operating shaft 13 and carrying a pair of pins 24tarranged to fit within cooperating apertures 25 in a flexible disc 26 which is provided with further apertures 27 arranged to cooperate with pins 28 extending from the face of a collar 29 which is unitary with asleeve 30 and 18 provided with a central aperture 31 arranged to surround the intermediate shaft till 16 to permit the collar 29 to cooperate with a second collar 32 also carried by the sleeve 30 and provided with an aperture 33 surrounding the intermediate shaft 16 whereby the collars 29 and 32 are adapted to support the sleeve 30 upon the intermediate shaft 16 freely rotatable with respect thereto. Positioned upon the shaft 16 interiorly of the sleeve 30 is a friction disc 34: secured against rotationupon the shaft 16 by means of a pin 35 carried by the disc 34 and passing through an aperture 36 in the shaft 16 elongated to permit limited movement of the disc 34 longitudinally of the shaft 16. Also positioned within the sleeve 30 and keyed thereto to permit longitudinal movement thereof relative to the sleeve 30 while-preventing rotation thereof relative to the sleeve 30, is a disc 37 carrying: a friction face 88 arranged, when the disc 87 is pressed toward the collar 29 by a spring: 39 compressed be- 'twcem the disc 37 and the collar 32, to cooperate with a friction face lfl carried by the collar 29 to frictionally engage the disc 34 carried by the shaft 16 between thefriction faces 38 and 40 to thus transmit to the sleeve 30 and ultimately to the shaft 13 rotation of the intermediate shaft 16 while permitting rotation of the shaft 16 independently of the shaft 13 when the resistance to the rotation of the shaft 13 reaches icompressed by the cgnipressor 11 and there- -re shown as having one end connected by means of a duct 42 to the outlet 43 of the lcomnressor and the other end connected by in LS of a duct 44 to a shut-off valve 45 which is then connected by means of a duct 46 through the expansion valve and expansion coil (not shown) to a duct 47 leading to the inlet 48 of the compressor 11.

In order to equalize the load imposed upon the motor 19 by the compressor 11 there is provided upon the armature shatt 18 a. suitable fly wheel 49. In order to increase the circulation of air through the condenser coil 41 this fly wheel 49 is preferably providedwith means adapted to act as a fan to force the air against the condenser coil 41. In Figures 2 and 3 I have shown one fly wheel construction suitable for this purpose while in Figures 4 and 5 I have shown an alternative fly wheel construction also suitable for the purpose. In the construction shown in Figures 2 and 3 the fly wheel comprises a rim 50 and a web 51 formed from a single piece of sheet metal and secured by means of suitable rivets 52 to a hub 53 secured to the armature shaft 18 in any suitable manner. This Web 51 is provided with a plurality of up standing plates 54 struck therefrom and leaving in the web 51 corresponding apertures 55 through which air engaged by the plates 54 is forced into contact with the condenser coil 41. In the fly wheel shown in Figures 4 and 5 the rim 56 and web 57 are again formed from a single sheet of metal and again secured by means of suitable rivets 58 to a hub 59 secured in any suitable manner to the armature shaft 18 but in this construction the web 57 is provided with a plurality of apertures-6O in each of which is mounted a plate (31 standing at an angle to the plane of the web 57 and secured in position by means of a plurality of lugs 62 formed integral with the plate 61, bent to contact the web 57 when the plate 61 is in the desired position, and secured to the web 57 in any suitable manner as by spot welding.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have provided a compressor unit peculiarly adapted for use in small refrigerating units particularly because of the elimination of the belt drive and its attendant necessity for constant taking up of slack and the provision of means to permit this constant taking up of slack, the positioning of the condenser coil upon the com- F1135)? unit base in a position where it does not interfere with access to either the motor or the compressor.- and does not interfere to any appreciable extent with access to any part of th compressor unit, th provision of means to permit thc motor to operate independently of the compressor when the. torque required to operate the compressor reaches an abnormal value, the provision of improved circulation through the condenser coil, and the provision of improved means for setting up a current of air flowing onto the condr-nser coil. It will be apparent to those skilled in theart that the unit herein shown possess advantages other than those s 'iecitirally set forth and also that the construction herein shown may be variously changed and modified without sacrificing these ad .'antages or departing from the spirit of my invention. It will therefore be apparent that the disclosure herein is illustrative only and my invention not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. In combination, a compressor adapted to be inserted in a refrigerating system to eon'ipress the refrigerant, a motor adapted to drive said compressor and spaced from said compressor, a normally rigid shaft drive connecting said motor to said compressor, a fan also operated by said drive and. at a point intermediate said motor and said compressor, a cylindrical condensing coil also adapted to be inserted in said refrigerating system and positioned between said motor and said compressor about said drive in the path of the current set up by said fan, and means interposed in said drive intermediate said fan and said compressor arranged to yield upon abnormal resistance to operation of said compressor to permit said motor and said fan to continue operating under such conditions without operating said compressor.

2. In combination, a compressor adapted to be inserted in a refrigerating system to compress the refrigerant, a motor adapted to drive said compressor and spaced from said compressor, a normally rigid shaft drive connecting said motor to said compressor, a fan also operated by said drive and at a point intermediate said motor and said compressor, a condensing coil also adapted to be inserted in said refrigerating system and positioned between said motor and said compressor in the path of the current set up by said fan, and means interposed in said drive intermediate said fan and said compressor arranged to yield upoi. abnormal resistance to operation of said compressor to permit said motor and said fan to continue operating under such conditions without operating said compressor.

3. In combination, a compressor adapted to be inserted'into a refrigerating systenr to compress the refrigerant, a motor adapted 'to drive said compressor and spaced from said COITIPIGSSOL', a norn'ially rigid shaft drive connecting said motor to said comprr sor, a flywheel also operated by said drive and at a point intermediate said motor and said compr essor and COIHPIlSiHQ a fan formed as an integral part of said flywheel.

a condensing coil also adapted to be insertedin said refrigerating system and positioned between said motor and said COIIIPI'BSSOZ'I'III the path of the air current set up by said said compressor, a normally rigid shaft drive connecting said motor to said compressor, a flywheel also operated by said drive and at a point intermediate said motor and said compressor and comprising a fan formed as an integral part of said flywheel, a cylindrical condensing coil also adapted to be inserted in said refrigerating system and positioned between said motor and said con1- prlessor about said drive in the pathof the air current set up by said fan, and means in terposed in said. drive intermediate said fly wheel fan and said compressor arranged to yield upon abnormal resistance to opera tion of said compressor to permit said motor and saidfiywheel fan to continue operating under such conditions without operating said compressor.

'In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

- \VILLIAM D. MERCER. 

